Saxifraga in Summer
by yukinoshita
Summary: A little series of daily life in Nura clan. This Rikuo x Tsurara story happened one summer after the final battle with Seimei.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Nurarihyon no Mago is not written by me. All belongs to Shiibashi sensei.

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"This past week has the highest temperature ever recorded since 1933. Everyone, especially the elderly, is advised to stay indoors and drink lots of ..."

Tsurara sighed as she switched off the tv. She lay down on the tatami and closed her eyes, feeling the cold air surrounding her in the enclosed room. Tonight was the last day of the shrine festival and everyone from the mansion were out enjoying themselves. All except Tsurara, who had been feeling dizzy and tired from the heat for the past week. They had pushed back visiting the festival several times. Even at the last minute, she had to reassure Rikuo, the paranormal gang, and nura clan that she would be alright being alone at home. Tsurara rolled her body around, giggling. Her master was worried about her! Could it be that she actually had a special place in his heart? If only she could go to the festival with them tonight, she would be playing the stall games with her master, catching fish, fishing for the water balloons, eating ice cream and most importantly, watching the fireworks with Rikuo sama.

_As the fireworks lighted up the night sky, Rikuo turned to look at the snow white girl who had stood beside him through thick and thin, who never wavered even in the most dangerous battle against Nue which had happened a year ago. Tsurara felt his stare. She turned towards Rikuo and tilted her head in a smile, "Yes, Rikuo sama?" Rikuo smiled back warmly and took hold of her hand. "Wh...Wh...whattttttttttttt..." Tsurara stuttered, blushing madly. "Tsurara, stay with me, always," said Rikuo. "O..oo..of course I will, waka. I will protect you forever." "No, Tsurara, I do not mean as a bodyguard. I want you to be my wife." Rikuo lifted up her chin with his hand and lower his head, tasting the icy sweet lips with his tongue..._

"KKkkkkyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaa" Tsurara rolled about on the tatami with her hands covering her face, blushing fiercely from her daydream. Tsurara lay flat on the tatami again and sighed, "That will never happen.." Ever since the final battle with Nue, nothing had happened between them. Life proceed as before. The only change was that Rikuo sama had been very busy as the third leader, forging relationships with the other youkai clans and humans. It was a slow and heart-wrenching process. It pained and angered her to see Rikuo's schoolmates, teachers, neighbours, etc, backing off whenever Rikuo approached and whispered behind his back. She felt like throttling them and screaming into their thick skulls, forcing them to remember how much Rikuo had helped them, by running their errands and protecting them from evil youkai. Thankfully, the paranormal gang had supported Rikuo mentally and physically by sticking around him, interacted with him just as before the tokyo incident and defending him both in the real world and in the internet. This was something that she, as a youkai, could not replaced. The need of human socialization in her master's life. A few people, especially those in his class, had started treating Rikuo sama normally as before.

"I wonder what is Waka doing right now..." pondered Tsurara.

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Rikuo strolled down the crowded street which led to the main town shrine, eating the ice cream just bought from a nearby stall.

"Squid ink ice cream... Tsurara will love to eat this.. I wonder how she's doing at home?" thought Rikuo, feeling bad that he had to leave her alone. "Maybe I should go back..."

"Look, Rikuo kun," said Kana, who was walking beside him, "there's a shooting stall."

"That looks fun~ I shall show you all my shooting skill!" exclaimed Kiyotsugu.

Maki rolled her eyes. "Stop boasting, Kiyotsugu kun."

"What?! You think I am boasting? I have been on annual hunting trips in USA with my father ever since I was 8 years old!"

"I wonder will Oikawa san like the big teddy bear on the shelf?" ask Shima.

"Most probably. I would love to have it," said Torii.

"Maybe our dear Kurotabou here can get it for you," teased Kejourou, while watching both Torii and Kurotabou blushed. "He has a big gun as one of his weapons," Kejourou winked at Torii, who turned absolutely bright red.

"Wha.. What nonsense are you talking about! Kejourou!" exclaimed Kurotabou.

While the group was still chattering, Kana and Rikuo were already at the stall.

"Kana chan, rest the butt of the rifle against your shoulder. Just right beside your arm like this." Rikuo embraced Kana from behind, holding both of her hands...

_"No no no!" Tsurara shook her head viciously. "Rikuo sama will never do this in his human form! ...Although he might in his youkai form... Rewind! Rewind!"_

Rikuo turned and smiled at Kana, "do you like the teddy bear?"

"Yes, Rikuo kun. Thank you for getting it for me. I love it very much." Kana beamed happily and hugged the huge teddy.

_".… that's not right too..." Tsurara shook her head again and turned to hide her face on the tatami. "But this is most likely what Waka will do right now in this form..." Tsurara sighed deeply as she continued her daydream, wishing again for a zillion times that she was with her master._

"Rikuo kun, why don't we go to the lake right now for the fireworks?"

"But shouldn't we wait for the others?" asked Rikuo, looking at the group who were shooting and cheering at the stall.

"Looking at this crowd, I think it will be best to go now and reserve place for the others."

"Good idea, Kana chan. Well, let's go."

Rikuo and Kana walked along the little path, enjoying the little breeze that brought some relief to the hot humid night. She glanced at the bespectacled boy beside her. He was gradually beginning to look and sound like the youkai whom she had a crush on. Even though she tried to deny it, she knew that she had been in love with Rikuo all this while. The weird feelings that she had ever since the appearance of Oikawa san, were that of jealousy. She felt a bit relieved when she knew that they were master and servant and came to understand the latter's devotion to Rikuo when Oikawa san asked her to be there for Rikuo. She couldn't fight like Oikawa san, but she could stand up and speak for Rikuo against those rumour-mongers. For the past year, she and the paranormal gang had been slowly dispersing the fears which the schoolmates had for Rikuo, by reminding them how kind and friendly Rikuo was, how Rikuo had helped them, and the relationship they had with Rikuo before the incident. One by one, they began to talk to Rikuo again. Although he didn't show it, they knew how he felt. And she knew how right Oikawa san was to be worried about him. As a girl, she could see that Oikawa san loved Rikuo kun very much. Kana looked up at the full moon and resolved her decision.

"Rikuo kun, I likeeeEEEEEEEEEEEE!" While turning to face Rikuo, Kana lost her footing and stumbled forward.

Rikuo caught hold of her and pulled her and the teddy bear to his chest. "Be careful, Kana chan." His words were breathed into her left ear.

Tsurara slammed her hands on the tatami mat, pushing herself up. "That's it! I am going!"

20 minutes later, Tsurara dragged herself along a hilly forested shortcut along the lake to the shrine, carrying a leaking backpack full of packed melted iced water. She leaned against her ice staff, feeling her head pounding, dizzy and nausea at the same time. The heat was getting into her. For the past few minutes, her heart had been beating very fast and she had difficulties catching her breath. "I must continue on for Rikuo sama..." Tsurara grimaced in pain and struggled to step forward. She dug her staff into the ground and it broke into pieces upon the impact.

"I'm sorry, Rikuo sama..." she thought, as she fell into the darkness.

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Some notes: Ha! This sure took me long enough. Thought of this plot in August. It was a very hot month, and sun showers were common. Wrote the first four paragraphs in September and the rest of it today. I thought I couldn't pull off Tsurara's daydreams. Very glad that I rewrote, instead of sticking to the original one short paragraph.

I mostly based Tsurara's character on the radio dramas, e.g. Charge Forth! A Memorial to School Drama. Her personality in the radio dramas makes a deeper impression on me.

naginata or staff, naginata or staff... staff :P

theluckyshipper - thanks for pointing that out! Yes, it's boasting XD

YurikoMinamoto - oops i forgot. thanks!

theluckyshipper & YurikoMinamoto - actually the confusion about which part is reality and which part is her daydream is intentional for this chapter. I was hoping to trick the reader into thinking that it was happening. *evil grin* Then again, who knows? Maybe Tsurara has developed psychic abilities when it comes to Rikuo, so her daydreams might actually be happening ^_^

FeuWitch - Yes! Thanks! XD


	2. Chapter 2

Hi all! Thanks for the lovely comments! I hope you all will enjoy this chapter too!

Disclaimer: Nurarihyon no Mago is not mine..

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The brown hair boy hummed a little tune which his snow maiden used to sing to him, as he walked down the pavement leading to his house. In his hands, there was a tub of squid ink ice cream and a horo horo ghost plush which he won for Tsurara in the shooting stall. Throughout the outing, Rikuo couldn't help but wondered how Tsurara was doing at home. He had excused himself while the group was on the way to the lake for the fireworks, saying that there's something he needed to attend to. Kubinashi wanted to follow but Kejourou giggled and held him back. It seem like no one could escape Kejourou's observation.

"Tadaimasu!" Rikuo called out as he opened the main door. He listened for the familiar cheerful reply, while he removed his shoes. "Is she not in the main hall?" He wondered. Hanging around in the hall or more precisely, around Tsurara, had always been every summer's pastime for the Nura clan. It was even more so during this summer heat. Being a snow maiden, her presence lowered the room temperature to a more comfortable level. As such, the Nura clan never felt the need to install air-conditioners in the house.

"Maybe I shall install one," Rikuo thought, while walking towards the hall. He could see that Tsurara was suffering even though she still behaved very energetic in front of him. Just a week ago, she almost fainted from the heat while helping out with the Arawashi family. Rikuo immediately forbid her to go out and tried to make her rest more, but she wouldn't listen and still moved about, doing the household chores. Only when the sun was high up in the sky, she would then hid herself in the hall.

Cool air greeted him as he pushed the main hall's sliding door open. "Tsurara, look what I bought." Rikuo looked around the room. There was not a single soul in the room. "Maybe she is in her room," thought Rikuo, walking in the direction of Tsurara's bedroom and stopped in front of her door. "Tsurara?" Rikuo called out, but there's no reply. Uneasiness came over Rikuo as he felt warm stuffy air slipped from the gaps of the bedroom door. "Tsurara, I'm going to open the door." Rikuo pushed open the door, and to his dismay, no one was in.

"Where could she be? Did she went out?" Rikuo thought as he quickened his pace to the kitchen. "The temperature outside is 39 degree Celsius! What if she fainted on the street?" He felt his heart tightened at the thought of it. "No, I must find her fast!" Rikuo closed his eyes and tried to sense her fear. Dark aura surrounded him while he focused all his concentration in searching her fear. He felt a weak sensation of soft fresh snow lingering in the air, leaving a trail to the nearby woods. Rikuo's long white hair shone in the moonlight as he ran out into the garden, leapt over the walls and flew straight into the woods.

* * *

_"Yuki onna!" A young little boy ran across the courtyard towards the girl who was sweeping the leaves._

_"Rikuo sama, welcome home," smiled Tsurara at the boy._

_"Yuki onna..." the little boy looked tearfully at her, "Teacher said good children will go to heaven. Bad children will go to hell with the yokai..*sniff* I told him that yokai are good. He said I was talking rubbish...*sniff sniff*... Is my father in heaven?" Tsurara inwardly cursed the teacher and planned a haunted night visit to the latter. She knelt down and hugged the 6 year old tightly. "Yes. He is. Your father is a very good man."_

_After a few moments of sniffling, the young boy looked up at the beautiful maiden and asked, "Will my mother and grandpa go to heaven?" "Of course, they will," Tsurara replied, drying her young master's cheeks gently with her sleeve. "Will you?" Tsurara gave a tiny smile and said, "We, Yuki onna, are different. When we die, we will evaporate and return to The Mountain."_

_"Evaporate?" Rikuo tilted his head in question._

_"It mean that we will disappear into the air."_

_"Which mountain? I will go and find you!"_

_Tsurara chuckled and changed the subject, "Waka, do you want some chocolate ice cream? I will make some for you."_

_"Yes!"_

"Tsurara!" Rikuo's ruby eyes scanned through the darkness, looking for the snow girl, while he wove through the trees. Memories of that moment kept replaying in his mind as he searched for the weak icy thread of fear. Ever since he entered the woods, he had lost track of her fear. Rikuo clenched his fists. That idiot! I am going to ground her for the whole year!

An object gleamed under the moonlight and caught Rikuo's eyes. "...Cannot be..." Rikuo slid halfway down the slope towards the lake. He knelt down and stared at the item disbelievingly. It was the snowflake bracelet he had given for her birthday.

_"When we die, we will evaporate."_

"No...it can't be... no... TSURARAAAAAAAA!"

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**Hehe finally! Was stuck at the last few paragraphs for a month, as I couldn't convey my thoughts into words... Had checked up japanese shrine shooting stall in google and saw one piece and other anime merchandise as prizes... If my local shooting stall has such prizes, I will be at the stall for the whole day!**

**Please read my first fan fic - in winter for the snowflake bracelet!**

**Oh yeah 39 °C is 102.2 °F**

** dennou - I was thinking of making it over 40 after ****reading the news about the searing temperature in australia, but this story happened at night, so i had to lower the temperature a bit ^^**

**Sorry this is quite short as I'm scared of making Rikuo ended up sounding girlie :P**


	3. Chapter 3

Muahahaha I had read the omake of omake! It is so good! Now I am all motivated to finish this story!

Nurarihyon no Mago is created by Hiroshi Shiibashi sensei!

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~x~x~x~

"Tsurara... Tsurara..." The snow maiden heard someone calling her name. She opened her eyes and found herself in an unfamiliar room which was decorated entirely in white. Kana was sitting beside her.

"Iegana san..." Tsurara moaned as she sat up.

"Tsurara, are you alright?" asked Kana, helping her, "Oops... I hope that you won't mind me calling you Tsurara. After all, we are going to be family members!" Kana beamed happily.

"Wh...What?!"

Kana held up her left hand. It had a golden band on her ring finger. "Rikuo had just proposed to me!" Kana grasped Tsurara's hands, "From now on, please take care of me."

Tsurara felt her heart was being stabbed by the words. She looked at the beautiful girl in dismay. The latter seemed to be glowing in heavenly happiness. "I must have died and now I'm in hell..." she thought.

"Wait a moment! Rikuo had proposed to me too! Look!" Tsurara turned towards the voice. It belonged to Yura. She was walking towards them, holding her left hand up.

Tsurara stared at Yura in disbelieve, "What... is going on...?"

"Ha! You both are being delusional! Even if you are his wives, I will still be the first in his heart!"

Zen smirked at the girls.

"Zen sama! When were you here? Wh..wh..what do you mean? First?" Tsurara asked in shock.

"Yeah! What do you mean by first? Rikuo sama trusts and always relies on me!" Once again, a new voice appeared. It was Aotabou. "Every valentine day, he will give me chocolates after school!"

Tsurara's jaws dropped to the ground. "Aotabou too? ...This must be my personal hell..."

"Oh that~ Those chocolates must have been given by Kana and the onmyouji girl. Rikuo gave them to you because he had mine! Hahaha!" Zen laughed.

"He did not give mine! They must be Yura and Zen's!" Kana retorted.

"No way! Rikuo kun said he will cherish my gift to him with all his heart! My shikigamis can vouch for it!" Yura brought out her shikigamis who were nodding their heads.

In the midst of this din, Tsurara heard a very familiar voice called out to her. "Tsurara..."

Tsurara walked out of the room and saw Human Rikuo holding hands with...Youkai Rikuo...? Youkai Rikuo caressed Human Rikuo's cheek tenderly and lifted up his chin. Tsurara stared at the 2 Rikuos with wide open eyes.

"Oh my gosh! They are going to kiss?! Wwwwwhhhhaaaattttt... Hmmmmm... Actually, being in hell is not bad," Tsurara pondered.

The light behind the two Rikuos became brighter and brighter. She shielded her eyes with her hands but it was still too glaring, forcing her to shut her eyes tightly.

"NNnnoooooooooo! I want to seeeee!" Tsurara thought.

"Yuki onna. Yuki onna." Tsurara opened her eyes and saw Kejourou looking down at her anxiously. "Kejourou, are you in hell too?" Tsurara asked weakly. "Of course not! Touchwood, I am still alive," She rebuked Tsurara gently. "You seemed to be having a bad dream. Come, drink some water. You must be thirsty." Kejourou lifted up Tsurara's head slightly and held a glass of water to her lips.

Tsurara took a small sip and Kejourou laid the former's head back on the pillow. Tsurara looked around her. She was lying on a futon in a traditional japanese room. Cold air surrounded her even though the strong sunlight was beaming in through the windows.

"How are you feeling, Yuki onna?"

"Good... but just can't feel any energy in my body..."

"You silly girl. Did you know that you almost had a heat stroke?" Kejourou scolded. "if it's not because of the lake, you could have died."

"...lake...?"

"You must have fallen into the lake when you fainted. Zen sama said the water had cooled down your body temperature. We were so shocked to see you floating passed us like a big slab of ice. Kappa immediately went to fish you out of the water."

"... I'm..sorry... ...Where am I..?"

"One of the mountain huts on Mount Fuji, which Zen sama had recommended. Rikuo sama was going to bribe the hut keeper to cancel the climbers' reservations, so that you can recover in peace."

"Waka... bribed?"

Kejourou laughed. "Yes, bribed. Kubinashi and I were surprised too. Thankfully, the hut keeper recognised Rikuo sama when Waka went to the half youkai village for rehabilitation. He let us stayed in one of their personal hidden huts on the 9th station. It's interesting to know that all of the hut keepers are from the half youkai village."

Kejourou leant closer to Tsurara and smiled mischievously, "You should have seen Rikuo sama. When Sasami found him, he was kneeling on the ground in utter despair. She told me it was a look that she would never forget and completely pained her heart to see him in that form. Sasami told him that you were found, and he ordered her to bring him to you at once *laugh* Do you know that Waka held you so tightly when he saw you? He totally refused to let you go and had been staying beside you for more than a day. I had to shoo him away and told him to get some sleep as you would be very worried to see him getting sick. Come to think of it, Gozumaru and Shouei were..."

Tsurara, in her groggy mind, did not listen to all what Kejourou had said. She closed her heavy lidded eyes and drifted off to sleep with the help of Kejourou's soothing voice.

~x~x~x~

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**Hehehe thank you for your kind reviews! **

**After researching, I now wish I can climb mt fuji and stay in the huts, despite my fear of heights and that the huts are absolutely crowded during summer.**


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